SIGNED EDITION `High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt...'

`Oscar Wilde's fairy tales continue to exert the same pull over the imagination and emotions as they did when he first read them to his children in the 1880s. Written with inspired poetic intensity and sudden flowerings of the matchless wit for which he is so well remembered, the stories combine the wisdom of parables with the impact of drama. I have loved them since I was a child: indeed they continue to make a child of me. I hope you will be as entranced by them as I have always been.' Stephen Fry

Like old friends whose company never fails to delight, Oscar Wilde's short stories have enchanted people for generations, and occupy a special place in the heart of each new reader. Like luminous gems, they have lost none of their power to enthral and inspire; and in this beautifully illustrated edition, Stephen Fry presents these gems to shine anew.

Meet the Selfish Giant, whose garden Was cloaked in perpetual winter until he allowed the children to enter and play; the statue of the Happy Prince Who stood overlooking his city, and who gave the sapphires embedded in his eyes and clothing to feed the poor; the young fisherman who sacrificed his soul for the love of a mermaid; and the Remarkable Rocket who was so convinced that he would he the brightest of all, yet ended up nose-first in a ditch.

These vivid characters and many more are brought to life by Nicole Stewart's stunning illustrations, while the messages, meanings and morals of the stories are explored in Stephen's masterful introduction.

Whether you are five or fifty, reading for yourself or another, these are stories for all ages and for all time...

 

( Note: Heavy Item. If ordered via ABE Books may incur additional postage charges.) E01